The months since Helene has been life changing for everyone in Western North Carolina, including Mountainside and our greater community of Paint Rock, Hot Springs, Marshall, and Madison County.  

We had to step back, pray, and navigate where God was leading us into 2025.  

We have known for some time, even before the flood, that God was leading us out of the vacation rental / tourism business, and into something completely different, calling us to be more active in the community with affordable local housing and growing food through natural farming and having it available to the community.  

So here we are - Welcome to Mountainside Homestead Ministries - a 508(c)(1)(a) nonprofit ministry serving Madison County, NC.

1 - We seek to provide fresh, sustainable food for the community as well as hands-on education in sustainable living.  

2 - We will offer affordable housing for people who want to be part of a simple, rustic, homestead ministry and assist alongside us within the greater community.

Does this sound like something you might be interested in being part of?  There are many opportunities available including living on site full time and being part of the daily activities, volunteering individually or with a group, financially so we can keep the bills paid and fund new projects slated for 2025, and prayerfully as we seek His will as we venture down another new path.  

We will offer many educational, hands on, farming workshops throughout the year as we have in years past.  

We will also offer monthly Bible studies which will include a meal that is raised on the farm with hands-on education on food preparation.  

Goals for 2025 as we move into this new chapter:

  • Find people who are interested in homesteading and want to live here for 6 months to a year or more. We will include hands-on education, training and involvement with all aspects of homesteading and farm life.
  • Assemble greenhouses (on hand) and gardens, to grow food which will be largely grown to provide fresh produce for the community.
  • Provide education and workshops on raising a variety of animals from birth or hatch, to harvest.  
  • Provide classes on how to successfully grow microgreens and other crops.
  • Show how to raise dairy sheep and use the milk for cheese, kefir, yogurt and other dairy products.

Since we are a 508 ministry charity, all donations are tax deductible and many employers will match contributions.  Any volunteering at Mountainside can be logged as community service hours.  

If you care to donate our PayPal is here.

We plan to leave one cabin available for folks who want to visit this area and volunteer on the farm, locally in town or anywhere in Madison county.  The others will be up for full time rent.  

Looking forward to this year and seeing what amazing things are in store!